Side Story (3) "This is terrible."

Life after marriage was not much different from before; the two continued to be busy in their respective fields.

Over the past few years, some changes have occurred around me.

Xiao Zhou's parents found her a relatively stable job back in her hometown, so she went back to develop her career there; the flower shop was transferred to Lin Yuan and Jiang Ya before the Lunar New Year, and the two of them continued to run it; Zhao Siqiao and her bodyguard boyfriend were deeply in love, and apart from external affairs, she didn't care about anything else at the company, spending all her time with him and living a very comfortable life.

He Xi and Zheng Zhi have also reconciled, after they had a major falling out a couple of years ago.

At first, He Yanzhou was also not used to it.

One day on his way home, he saw a newly opened dessert shop at the street corner. He had passed by it a few times and thought the peach and pear sour cream mousse on the sign looked good, so he decided to bring one back for Zhu Xu to try.

He said, "Zheng Zhi, park on the side of the road."

The driver paused for a few seconds before replying, "Okay, Mr. He."

He Yanzhou was stunned for a moment, then realized that he was no longer the one driving.

In short, life is constantly changing, and we are slowly adapting and moving forward without stopping.

...

He Yanzhou has been in Lincheng for the past few days. He said he would be returning today, landing at 5:30 pm.

He called Zhu Xu in advance to ask her to pick him up from the airport.

Zhu Xu rushed out of the company and managed to see him walk out of the arrival gate.

He was wearing a heather gray henley collar short-sleeved shirt and loose black straight-leg trousers, pushing a carry-on suitcase with one hand and holding a few red roses in the other.

He strode forward, his figure appearing and disappearing in the crowd, so outstanding and eye-catching.

Zhu Xu waved his hand.

He Yanzhou looked over, a smile spreading across his lips.

Zhu Xu took the initiative to hug him and inhale his scent.

He Yanzhou stroked her hair and whispered, "Wife."

"Husband," she called him in the same way, but with a slightly higher tone at the end, making it even sweeter.

The two walked to the parking lot, arm in arm, and He Yanzhou drove them home.

At this moment, the setting sun is intense, and a few beams of light pierce through the clouds and shine onto the sea, making the surface of the sea shimmer.

The weather forecast predicted heavy rain tonight, but there's no sign of it yet.

Zhu Xu fiddled with the red roses he had given him, counting nine in total. He never exaggerated by carrying a large bouquet and attracting attention at the airport, so he would sometimes give six, and sometimes eleven.

Zhu Xu used to think she was indifferent to roses, but later she realized that it was her state of mind at that time that was causing her to no longer believe in love, so she also resisted the meaning behind it.

And now it is gradually becoming a ritual.

He Yanzhou would occasionally forget, and she felt like something was missing.

Zhu Xu turned to ask, "Do you know the meaning of nine red roses?"

He Yanzhou thought for a moment: "Forever and ever?"

You know?

"I can roughly guess from the homophones." He asked for confirmation, "Am I right?"

"Yes."

Zhu Xu placed her hand on his thigh, feeling its firm texture, and couldn't help but squeeze it a few more times. Seeing that he didn't stop her, she took advantage of the situation and slowly moved her hand upwards, until she reached his groin, where she lifted her little finger and lightly scraped it.

"Take it away," He Yanzhou warned in a low voice.

He's gotten serious now.

Zhu Xu obediently withdrew his hand: "The fabric of the pants is quite comfortable. Where did you buy them?"

"The one you bought last time."

"I knew it looked familiar."

He Yanzhou chuckled. He only had time to turn around and examine her closely while waiting for the red light. Today she was wearing a hazy blue knitted short-sleeved top and a beige bodycon midi skirt that reached her calves. The whole outfit fit her figure perfectly, outlining her exquisite curves, and she looked very intellectual and gentle.

Her hair had grown a bit longer, and she tied it into a low bun.

"This outfit looks good," he commented.

"It's newly bought," Zhu Xu said.

I got home at 6:30.

Auntie is off today, so dinner should be simple and quick.

Zhu Xu opened a bottle of red wine to let it breathe, then ate pasta for his main course. He also took out two slices of filet mignon and asparagus that he had just bought yesterday from the refrigerator, intending to fry them later.

She came out of the shower and saw He Yanzhou sitting on the sofa in the living room, selecting songs on his phone. The projector screen was on the opposite wall, playing soft music, with an audio ripple jumping below.

Zhu Xu lifted He Yanzhou's chin from behind and used a little force to make him tilt his head back.

She pressed her lips to his, kissing him from a different angle. Being on top, her kiss was somewhat forceful; her fingertips touched his bobbing Adam's apple.

She could clearly feel him pause, and she applied a little more pressure to the hand that was touching his neck.

He Yanzhou felt a moment of suffocation, his breath trembling. He raised his hand to cup the back of her head and regain control.

But then they heard the two of them make a soft slurping sound, and Zhu Xu ran away, saying, "Time to eat."

He Yanzhou turned his head: "Come back."

Zhu Xu slowly backed away, shaking his head with a wicked smile on his lips.

He Yanzhou stared at her dangerously for a long time before finally managing to calm himself down, get up to take a shower, and then go to the restaurant.

He took the clip from Zhu Xu's hand: "Let me do it."

Zhu Xu voluntarily stepped aside.

He's not a good cook, but whenever he has free time, he'll take the initiative to do some simple tasks.

He would ask Zhu Xu for help with anything he didn't understand, even though she was only a novice herself. In short, they lived a fulfilling life, and he seemed to know a lot about how to manage a family.

He Yanzhou checked the steak's color and asked, "Is it ready?"

Zhu Xu waited by with a plate: "Turn the heat down to low, sprinkle some black pepper and salt, and then you can serve it."

He Yanzhou did as instructed, and then cooked spaghetti, which he also brought to the table.

The timing of the red wine was perfect; the two clinked glasses and took a small sip.

While eating, they shared their recent work schedules and planned to make up for their honeymoon trip later.

He Yanzhou asked her if there was anywhere she wanted to go.

Zhu Xu said, "It's best not to make any plans, to sleep until you naturally wake up, to wander around, to eat something good, and then to go to bed early."

He Yanzhou looked at her and said, "Your request can be fulfilled anywhere."

"Let's go to the beach."

"Isn't living by the sea every day enough?" he asked again. "Hawaii? Maldives?"

"It's too hot."

What about the Philippines?

Zhu Xu shook his head: "I don't like it."

He chuckled, "Then let's go to Jilin Island. I like it there, and it's not hot."

Zhu Xu laughed too: "Okay, I can go anywhere with you anyway."

He Yanzhou looked up at her for a long time. Her little mouth was as sweet as honey, and her voice was pleasant to hear. He was really looking forward to the arrival of the night.

He Yanzhou, holding a wine glass, reached out and lightly touched it to hers.

The portions of pasta and steak were just right, and there was only a little less than half a bottle of red wine left, so we divided it up and took it to the living room to drink slowly.

Night has fallen, and a few stars twinkle outside the window.

Voice-controlled lighting leaves only a captivating, dark orange ambient light in the vast space.

The speakers were playing Evil Needle's "Sunday Morning," a purely instrumental piece with an extremely languid rhythm and drumbeats that gently tapped at my heart, perfectly complementing my slightly tipsy state.

Zhu Xu lay half-reclined on the sofa, her head resting on He Yanzhou's lap. He stroked her forehead with his palm and took a sip of red wine.

They remained silent, enjoying their peaceful time alone.

Soon, Zhu Xu finished her red wine and casually placed the glass on the carpet under the sofa. He Yanzhou lowered his eyes and fed her the red wine from his glass.

Zhu Xu raised his eyes: "What are you trying to do by getting me drunk?"

He Yanzhou replied with a smile, "We'll have even more fun later."

Zhu Xu suddenly remembered their first time together, in a bar, when he had said something similar in a provocative manner.

Zhu Xu said, "Sing a song for us."

"I'm not very good at it."

“You sang so well.” She snatched the wine from his hand, downed it in one gulp, and placed the glass on the carpet as well. “Hurry up,” she pleaded.

He Yanzhou had no choice but to turn off the music. His repertoire of songs was quite limited. After thinking for a long time, he cleared his throat and sang: "For every flower that blooms, another withers. Of all the flowers on the mountain, only you are my true love..."

Zhu Xu's hair stood on end. He looked extremely languid at the moment, his voice relaxed and deep, still without any skill, yet enough to bewitch people.

As if he had forgotten the lyrics, he paused for a long time before continuing: "Wait patiently, wait for you, this rose, to bloom; of all the flowers on the mountain, you are the most lovely..."

Zhu Xu suddenly stood up and kissed him, the singing behind them drowning out each other's mouths.

The wet kisses gradually got out of control, and He Yanzhou, panting heavily, carried her back to the bedroom and threw her onto the mattress.

Zhu Xu saw him standing by the bed taking off his T-shirt, just like every time. The bedside lamplight shone on him, and she saw the clearly defined veins on his body again.

Zhu Xu, emboldened by the alcohol, crawled toward him, his lips touching that small patch of skin.

He Yanzhou took a deep breath, his abdomen contracting.

He lowered his eyes and gently stroked Zhu Xu's head, feeling her tongue tracing something from top to bottom. A small goosebump rose on his skin, a cool, damp sensation.

He Yanzhou closed his eyes briefly: "This is terrible." He murmured her name: "Xiao Xu..." Then he pressed down on the top of her head.

Zhu Xu was unable to speak and it was very difficult for him, but he quickly lifted her up and pressed her onto the mattress.

He was out of control, and his movements were so violent, as if he wanted to crush her.

...

Everything is over, and we fall asleep in each other's arms.

A sudden clap of thunder sounded outside the window, and soon after, a torrential downpour began.

The rain finally started, and the strong wind whipped up raindrops that pounded against the windows, drowning out all other sounds in the world.

The room was air-conditioned and quiet.

Zhu Xu nestled in He Yanzhou's arms. They had both just taken a bath, and she closed her eyes, inhaling the pleasant fragrance emanating from him and the sheets.

It seems that the sense of security he brings her is even more apparent in such extremely harsh weather.